Film splicer



Sept- 23, .1952 s. l.. WITTENBERG 2,611,724

FILM SPLICER Filed July 2l, 194'? 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 4r ToR/VEY Sept. 23,1952 s. WITTENBERG FILM SPLICER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed July 2l, 1947INVENTOR. Slaat-Rr' L. W/rrEA/E/za Arron/vf? Patented Sept. 23, 1952UNITED STATES PATENTV OFFICE y FILM. sPLroE-R; Sigbert-L. 'llittenbm'g,vBelle Harbor, N. .Application July'zi, 1947, 'saisine 762,281

12 claims. 1

My invention relates to motion picture ynini' splicers.

Film splicers heretofore devised 'for non-pro'- fessional use have beencomplicated tol operate' a film splicer in which 'uniformpressureis'ap-A plied to the splice during `the sealing step.;

It is another object of m'yfinvention` to provide a construction .of nlmsplicer in which pivot-ed cover plates are raised simultaneously, and inwhich it is not possible to Open the splicer inA sections after thesplioejhas been completed.

It is a further object Ofmy invention toprovide a construction ofspli'cer in whichl functions are" combined so as to facilitate the Work;

It is a further object of my invention to provide' a novei constructionof nlm splicer made entirely from stampings and assembled in 'amannertohe rugged and fool-proof in service;

It is a further object of my invention toprovide a friction brake to'maintain the'movabietaiole in its raised positions.

.Other and furtherobjects of .my .invention will be understood from thisspeciflcationrtaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. in

which:

Fig. 1 is a. pian view of thenim spiicer accord-.-

ing to my` invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionon the' virregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1,;

Fig. 2A is an enlarged section ofaiiortion .0f Fig. 2 showing thecooperation of thlputti'n'g edges of the film splicer;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section .on thelines-Ii of Fig. 1, one of the coverhalves being .raised` andl parts beingbroken' awayto-facilitatethe.i1-lus@v tration;

Fig. 4 is an -eniarged Yfragmentary cross sec-- tional view showing the'-latchingarlangementi;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation with the movable table and its cover halfshown in raised'positions;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the Yaliillilatus of Fig. 1,;

Fig. '7 isa perspective view, in of the scraper element. and.

enlarged; detail Fig.'8 isa perspective view, in enlarged detail,v ofthe latch mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the base comprises a one'piecestamping formedVto provide -a oor I2, depending side walls I3 from lwhich projectlaterallya pair of mounting flanges I4, -a dependa ing front wall I5`and a depending rear wall I6. Also formed out of the Same stamping arelthe short'upstanding guidingears -I-I and the comhined mounting `andguiding ears I8 extending rearwardly beyond the rearwa'll It.' The floorI2 is provided withi aniaperture I9 vfor thedisposai ofthe filmclipping. g'

A half-table portion 2l *is fixed to the lfloor I2 at one side thereof,and has an inner cutting edge 22, which partially overlies the Vdisposalopening I9, and a plurality of pins `23 extending upwardly therefrom.The pins are of a size'and spaced apart to engage inv the sprocketperfora-' tions-whichl are along one Y'or both edges of a motion picturelm and they also arespacedfrom the cutting edge 2,2 to properly positionthe film strip for an accurate splice. i l

Thetable half 2-I has a *pivoted` cover Yand pressureplate 24cooperating therewith, The plateis a onepiece stamping having at. the1rear thereof a pair of downtunedinountingears, on ons of which is adependingtabjzafand at its front edge a forwardly eXtending-upturned'tongue 21, which serves as a conyenientoperating member for 4the Vusevof Vthe'fingers. i The ears 25 of vthev plate '24" arel pivotaliymounted Yupon Ia spindle 28 Which extendsbetween and is `suitablymountedin the' sidewalls I3, so thatthe cover plate `pivots between anvuprigl'it or raised position indicated V in Fig. 3 to alowerlockedposition shown lin Figs, "2 and 5,.r A coiled spring' 29 isconnected-to thetab 26 and 'to the under side'of` the 'floor 1:2; whichspring Aserves to raise the cover plate'whenever it is released;A VIt`will he noted from Fig. "2 that the lcover plate `24 isv narrower thanthe table 2t, so that 'in its lower positionqa narrow ledge 3i` is left.exposed along the cutting edgel22'. Asw'rll 'bedescribed one'portion-of the film being `spliced overlies' this "ledge 3|, whichsupports the nlm for the scraping .operation to' remove the emulsion.

The cover plate 24 also has apair of uptu'rned ears 32 stamped ,outofthe metal and .between which is mounted a rod y:i3y for the scrapermechanism. The scraper comprises a raspflil eele ment V3l! which ismounted in .a box-like holder. also .formed -Vfroma single stamping.bent to .pros vide-side wall fupper (in positionofiuselwall' 3.7, sidewall 38,1owerwal13 and; front wa1l--4il.f

The lower wall 39 is narrower than upper wall 31 so as to leave a slotor pocket which receives the rasp element 34 that is then secured inplace by means of screw 4|. The side walls 36 and 33 have projecting earportions 42 which are pivotally mounted upon the rod 33, and a coiledspring 43 is secured at one end to the rod and has its other end bearingagainst the wall 31 of the box so as to always return the scraper to theposition of non-use shown in the drawings. The connection between thespring and the scraper is such that the movements of the scraperbackwards and forwards along the rod 33 in the scraping oper ation willnot be interfered with.

The splicer also comprises a second table half 5| which also consists ofa stamping with a forwardly extending tongue 52, for convenience inraising and lowering the table, and two depending ears 53 at the rearthereof, which ears are pivotally mounted upon the spindle 28. Rear walli6 of the base has tab 5D cut therefrom and bent into engagement withone of the ears 53 to form a friction brake holding table half 5i fromfalling from its raised positions. t its inner edge the table half 5|has a cutting edge 54 which cooperates with the cutting edge 22 intrimming the end of the lm strip which is placed upon the table 2|. Thetable 5| also has a plurality of upstanding pins 55 similar to the pins23 and arranged for the same purposes.

Cooperating with the table 5i is a cover and pressure plate 56 whichlikewise is a stamping having a forwardly extending upturned tongue 51,corresponding to the tongue 21 on cover 24, and at its rear a pair ofdownturned ears 5B which are pivotally mounted on the spindle 2B and oneof which has a tab 59 similar to the tab 25. A coiled spring 3| issecured to this tab and to the underside of the floor |2, the spring`lil being similar to the spring 29 in constructionv and in function.

It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 2 that the inner edges of the coverplates 24 and 56 are contiguous as indicated at i|52 and they are formedas cutting edges to trim the end of the second strip of film, as will bedescribed. Also, it is seen that the cover plate 55 is wider than thetable 5| and overlies the ledge 3| of the fixed table member 2|.

The means for holding the cover plates 24 and 56 in their lowerpositions will be described now. The inner edges of the cover plates 24and 56 respectively'have integral therewith downturned lugs or hooks B3and 64 which are located adjacent the tongues 21 and 51 and the rearedges through an opening in the upper portion of the` front wall l5, asseen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and its forward edge is provided with a step65 so that the latching member extends different distances into thenotches in lugs 63 and 64 respectively, whereby the covers may belowered separately into locking position without releasing the othercover.

The latch 65 comprises a fiat plate 81 (Figs. 3, 4 and 8) extendingrearwardly and provided with an opening 68, the portion that is cut outfor the slot 68 being turned downwardly to form a finger 69, and at theforward edge of the plate portion 61 is a downturned portion 1| whichconstitutes an abutment. A guide pin 12 that is fastened on theunderside of vthe door |2 is received in slot 58 as seenin Fig. 3. Thefinger 59 engagesa leaf spring 13 that is mounted in the side walls i3,as

ldicated at 1Q.

, ment with the film on the ledge 3i.

seen in Fig. 2, which spring continuously urges the latch to its forwardposition. The abutment 1| is engaged by the downturned or verticalportion 14 of the forwardly extending operating lever 15. The lever 'i5extends through an opening 15 at the juncture of the base i2 and frontwall l5, and the vertical portion 14 and the horizontal portion 15 arejoined by a web Ti, which may be bent if desired to offset the plane ofthe horizontal portion 15. It will be noted from Figs, 4 and 8 that oneend of the web is notched as shown at 13, and the opposite side of theweb is extended beyond the lever portion 15, as in- The notch receivesthe uncutawayportion of the front wall i5, and the extension is such asto fill the space in the slot 13 after the lever is mounted in position.Thus, with the parts of the latch mechanism assembled, the spring 13,through the abutment 1|, pushes the vertical portion 14 against the rearsurface of the wall i5 and the lever is free to pivot about the loweredge of the opening 1S, and there is no likelihood of this leverbecoming disengaged.

The described mechanism may be operated in several ways to effect thesplice.

One method of operation ofthe device is, as follows: The two covermembers 24 and 5S and the movable table-half 5| are raised to verticalpositions, or'thereabouts. A strip of film is placed Y upon the pins 23on the fixed table 2|, with a portion of the film strip projectingbeyond its cutting edge 22, and the cover plate 24 is lowered intolatched position so as to clamp the lm in Before or after thescrapingoperation, to be described, the movable table 5! is lowered alongsidethe table 2|, thus clipping oif the end of the film strip between thecutting edges 22 and 54, the clipped oif end dropping through thedisposal opening |9. A portion of the lm strip is exposed on the ledge3|, and this portion is scraped to remove the emulsion coating.

Scraping is done by turning the scraper about 190 from the position ofrest indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and so as to bring the rasp 34intoengage- By moving the scraper back and forth acrossthe nlm with aslight pressure on the upper wall 31 of the scraper, the emulsion isremoved. When the scraper is released, the spring 43 returns it to itsposition of rest, and a coating of a suitable cement is applied over thescrapedsurface.

VThe other strip of lm being spliced is ltted upon the prongsj on thetable portion 5|, with a portion of this lm strip extending beyond theinner edge of theV cover 24 and overlapping the portion of film exposedon the ledge 3|. With the second film strip in this Vpositionthe coverplate 55 is lowered until its hook 54 passes the latch which operationautomatically clips off the projecting portion of the second'lm strip,between the cutting edges 62 of the. two tables, and at the same timeexerts pressure upon the overlapped film areas so as to effect nthesplice. By reason of the step 66 in the latch 55, the latch is notvmoved inwardly farienough to release the cover plate 24, and it remainsin the latched clamping position. Attention is called also to thefactthat the lugs 53vand 64 being located along the inner edges of thecover plates the maximum pressure is exerted along those edges, andhence directly upon the spliced area.

After a few seconds for the setting of the cement, the lever 15 isdepressed to lretract the latch 65 from the lugs 63 and 64 and bothcovers are raised simultaneously, by their springs, leav- 7 tion beneathsaidbase and engaging said latch plate whereby depressing the projectingportion of the lever Willslide the latch plate out of engagement withsaid hook.

9. In film splicing apparatus, a base having means for holding a stripof film, and a scraper mechanism pivotally mounted on the base andmovableto a position to engage said film, said scraper comprising aholder having integral top. bottom, side and end walls and provided withmounting means therefor, a scraper element mounted upon said holder` soas to engage said iilm when the scraper mechanism is moved, and a springfor moving the scraper` from engagement with said film.

10. In film splicing apparatus, a base having means for holding a stripof iiim, a pivoted cover plate clamping said strip of film and having angertab projecting beyond said base, a pivcted table for holding asecond strip of lm in alignment with and tc partially overlap the rstmentioned lm strip, said table also having a iinger tab projectingbeyond said base, a second pivoted cover plate overlying and cooperatingwith said table to clamp said second film strip and also having a ngertab projecting beyond said base, said second cover plate having an edgeportion in overlying engagement with the spliced joint of said lmstrips, latching means for holding said cover plates in their clampingpositions, and another finger tab projecting beyond said base andconnected to and operable to release said latching means..

11. In a lm splicing device, the vcombination 8 l according to claim 4,in which the latching means extends different distances into said hooksWhereby said platesmaykbe separately lowered into and raised from theirlatched positions.

l2. In a iilm splicing device, a table adapted to hold tWo strips offilm in partially overlapping relation, a pivoted rst cover plate inoverlying engagement with one of said strips, a pivoted second coverplate in overlying engagement with the other strip and with theoverlapped area, a latch havingvseparateiparts respectively engageablewith said cover `plates to hold the same in their operativepositions anda member actuating said latch to separately release said cover platesfrom said operative positions;

SIGBERT' L. WITTENBERG,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNTTED STATES PATENTS

1. IN FILM SPLICING APPARATUS, A PAIR OF TABLE ELEMENTS ARRANGED TORECEIVE STRIPS OF FILM WHICH ARE PARTIALLY OVERLAPPED AND ARE TO BEJOINED TOGETHER, A PAIR OF PIVOTED COVER AND PRESSURE PLATES COOPERATINGWITH SAID TABLE ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID PLATES HAVING AN EDGE PORTION INOVERLYING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SPLICED AREA OF SAID STRIPS, AND LATCHINGMEANS ENGAGING SAID PLATES SUBSTANTIALLY IN LINE WITH SAID EDGE PORTIONSO THAT THE LATCHING FORCE WILL BE CONCENTRATED ON SAID SPLICED AREA.